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14th African American
Festival Begins with Breakfast and Parade
Sojourner’s Truth Staff
For the 14th year, the Toledo
Urban Federal Credit Union (TUFCU) hosted a prayer breakfast
and parade to kick off its annual African American Festival.
This year’s breakfast was held at Mt. Nebo Baptist Church
and the parade, as is the custom, started at Dorr and Smead
Streets, next to the TUFCU building, headed towards
Collingwood Ave, turning onto City Park before winding down.
The prayer breakfast, held on Friday morning,
June 13, featured Bishop Randall Parker III as master of
ceremonies and opened with a solo worship song by vocalist
Darius Coleman. Rev. Cedric Brock, pastor of Mt. Nebo,
offered the opening prayer, which was followed by a prayer
for the City and its leaders by Rev. Jerome Graham, pastor
of True Vine Missionary Baptist Church, and a prayer for the
churches, by Pastor Sylvester Rome of Tabernacle MBC.
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Christopher McBrayer, Rev. Stanley Clark, Michelle Cooke,
Suzette Cowell, Kaye Williams, Robert Kendrick, Mark McBee
Councilwoman Yvonne Harper adresses Breakfast audience |
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Then TUFCU Founder and CEO Suzette Cowell
presented a special tribute, recounting the reasons for the
founding of TUFCU and acknowledging those in the community
who have had a special history with the financial
institution. Honored this year were: Rev. Stanley Clark, Sr,
founder of United Vision Baptist Church; Michelle Cooke,
founder of Ladies of Academic and Athletic Excellence;
Robert Kendrick, Jr., a firefighter and volunteer with Glass
City Black Brothers United; Mark McBee, a firefighter,
paramedic and fire instructor for the state of Ohio;
Christopher McBrayer, chaplain at the Toledo Correctional
Institution and Kaye Williams, longtime member of TUFCU.
The spectacular white and yellow décor for
the breakfast was designed by Aletha Braswell.
After the tributes, Coleman performed again,
followed by a prayer for TUFCU by Sis Virginia Wels of St.
Martin de Porres, a prayer for the youth by McBrayer and a
prayer for the festival by Rev. Robert Birt, pastor of Glass
City Church.
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz stopped by to offer
his compliments to the credit union and its handling of the
Festival.
Saturday morning’s parade, the largest in the
14-year history, featured a number of schools, businesses,
horses, mini cars, Corvettes and elected officials. The
parade has become such an important part of the summer
festivities that two candidates for statewide office had a
presence this year. Judge Melody Stewart of the Court of
Appeals for Ohio’s Eighth District, vying for the State
Supreme Court, had a contingent. Zack Space, candidate for
the office of Auditor of the State of Ohio, came in person
to march.
Next up is the third leg in the trio of
summer festival activities – the actual African American
Festival itself this upcoming Sunday, July 22 at Promenade
Park in downtown Toledo. This year’s headliners are The
Dramatics, featuring L.J. Reynolds. Other featured acts are
the Jerusalem Mass Choir, the United Voices of United Vision
Baptist Church, the Friendship Baptist Church Choir, the
First Church of God Combined Choir and a disco party with
special music by DJ Ellery. The gates are open at noon – the
music starts at 1 p.m.
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